Curtain-fastener.



' w.e TEs & R WPBOTTUME,

- cum/um mum.- APPLICATION HLED'NOV. 6.1916.

Patented July 10, 1917.

WITNESSES: I I INVENTQRS @KM.

. v MVMMM.

AITORNEYS are r P WILLIAM GATES, OF NEW HAVEN, AND FRANK W. BOTTUME, OFW'ALLINGFORD, CON- NECTICUT; SAID FRANK W. BOTTUME ASSIGNOR RIGHT TOMARCUS S. BOTTUME, OF MONTOWESE,

OF ONE-HALF OF THE WHOLE CONNECTICUT.

CURTAIN-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

AppIication filed November 6, 1916. Serial No. 129,644;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, (1) WILLIAM GATES and (2) FRANK W. Bo'r'rUME,citizens of the United States, residing'at (1) New Haven,

(2) VVallingford, county of New Haven,

State of Connecticut, have invented anlmprovement in Curtain-Fasteners,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to fasteners, with more particularreference to devices for detachably securing the curtains or flaps ofvehicle topsto the body of the vehicle and to each other, althoughitwill be apparent that devices embodying our invention are adapted formany other olifierent uses. Particularly in the case of avehicle, it iswell' known that the so-called top'should not only be easily and readilyput up and taken down, it often being most desirable toperform theformeroperation in the shortest possible period of time, but it is of courseto be desired the top when in use he dependably secured and present asightly appearance.

Heretofore, it has been the most general practice to employ what areknown as eye- .fasteners, one of the parts being provided with an eyethrough which is passed a centrally pivoted elongated metal button onthe other member, the button being turned through an arc of about, 90 toeffect a clasp in a common and WGll-lHlOWl'L manner. lVhile this isdoubtless a. very simple and convenient form of fastening device, it issubject to the objections that due tothe constant vibrations of thevehicle the button is likely to become loose on its pivot and is notinfrequently jarred to open position, permitting separation of theconnected parts to say nothing of producing an annoylng rattle.

The object of the present invention is the provision of what for thepurposes of this description we shall term a curtain fastener which iscomparatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture,

yet one which may be manipulated easily and quickly and dependablyperforms its desired. function.

Our invention will be readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, formlng a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a curtain or the like andthe body or object to which it is to be attached, the same beingequipped with a fastener embodying our invention Fig. 2 is a similarview of the same with the locking member of the fastener in an openposition;

i Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 38 ofFig. l;

' Fig. 4 is a rear view ofthe fastener member carried by the curtain orthe like when the sameis designed to be attached to. a solid body, or bythe outer curtain when two curtaiis are designed to be secured together,an

Fig. 5 is an end edge view of the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 6 designates a curtainor flap, usually of leather, which it is desired to detachably secure tothe part 7, which for the purposes of this description may be consideredas a solid body, such as a part of a vehicle body, but which may beanother curtain or flap.

Fixed to. the part 7 is a stud or post 8 which is preferably providedwith a curved or dome-shaped end 9 and which also is pro vided, with anannular groove or channel 10.

The fastening device proper is preferably stamped from sheet metal andcomprises a fiat rear plate 11 and a front plate 12 of correspondingconfiguration, the latter having in-turned edges 13 to form a narrowchamber between the two plates when assembled. The rear plate ll isslightlysmaller than the front plate 12 whereby, when the two plates arepositioned on opposite sides by the dies when this semi-cylindricalportion 7 is struck up-ar e the inwardly directed lips v or lugs 20 and21 the endsof which are of'the'strip'18 is so dimensioned, and the saidchamber, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the lugs or ears 14, withwhich the i '1. plate 12 is provided, are forced through the materialand bent inwardly to clasp or engage theplate 11, the combined platesare firmly secured to the curtain or flap and to 7 each other.

The rear plate 11 is provided witha preferably circular orifice and thefront plate; 12 is provided with a correspondingly posi- 15 tionedorifice 16, the edges of the latter being preferably in-turned like theedges of the plate itself to brace and give strength and rigidity 'tothe assembled'partsx The orifices-are'slightly larger than the stud or iPivoted to the i so post 8, whereby this member of'the fastener maybereadily slipped over or off of said post. or;

front face of the plate 12 at 17 is a metal locking strip 18 having asubstantially semi-cylindricalportion 19 struck up near the free endthereof and so dimensioned that it will freely pass over the curved endof the post 8, when the latter has been passedthrough the orifices 15and 16,"preferably so snugly'fitting over the end of said post as toslightly spring'the metal,

the semi-cylindrical portion 19-of said strip 18- being relativelypositioned for this. purpose. Struck down from the sides of thesemi-cylindrical portion 19or left fiat by adapted to enter the groove10 in the post 8. As stated, the semi-cylindrical portion '19 groove 10and the lips 20 and 21 so relatively positioned, that the metal of theparts is slightly sprung to'firmly' hold the strip '18 in lookingposition. VWhile friction alone might be sufficient to retain the partsin locking positions under ordinary conditions,

we prefer to provide the plate 12 with a dent orprotuberance 22 and thestrip 18 with a correspondingly located small aperture 23, theresiliency of the metal causing the dent or protuberance 22 to pass intothe aperture 23 and hold the strip 18 in looking position withsufficient force to prevent accidental dislodgment, yetbe capable ofbeing easily overcome by manual forces when itis desired to unfasten thecurtain or vflap.-

' To enhance the spring tension of the looking strip 18, weprovide theplate 12' with a circularly disposed. slot 24 and the endflOf.

the strip 18. with alip 25 passing through said slot and slidablyengaging the inner face of the plate 12. When the strip is in lockingposition, the lip 25 may be yieldingly engaged in a recess 26, and thusstill further decrease the possibility of accidental dislodgment.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be' readilyunderstood from the foregoing description thereof. It will be apparentthat in the fastening operation the strip 18 is swung to the right, asshown in Fig. 2, the fastening member passed over the pin or post 8, andthe strip 18 returned to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will alsobeclearly apparent that the operation of unfastening the curtain or flapconsists in merely swinging the strip 18 to the right and removing thefastener.

WVe have found that a device such as that just described is not onlycomparatively cheap in cost and easily-and quickly manipulated, but isthoroughly dependable in that the parts cannot be jarred out of lockingpositions under ordinary conditions, and no amount of wear to which thedevice might be subjected during the normal life of the curtain or flapcould result in producing the objectionable rattle to which we havereferred.

Many modifications of minor details of our improvedfastener willdoubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art towhich it appertains, and we therefore do not desire to limit ourinvention to the specific construction herein shown and described. I

We claim aS new and desir -to Letters Patentr 1. A fastener comprising apost adapted to be mounted upon one of two articles tobe-fastenedtogether and a plate adapted to besecured to the other,-saidpost being provided with an annular groove and saidplat having anorifice therein adapted to receive said post, and a locking strippivoted to said secure by plate to slidably oscillate thereon, saidstrip plates having registering orifices therein adapted to receive saidpost, and a locking strip pivoted to one of said plates to slidably,oscillate thereon, said strip having an off-set portion adapted to passover the protruding post and inwardly directed lips adaptedto pass intosaid groove and engage said post.

r 3. A- fastener comprising a post adapted to be mounted upon one of tWoarticles to yieldingly retaining said strip in locking be fastenedtogether and a plate adapted to position.

be secured to the other, said post being pro- In testimony whereof WeafiiX our signavided with an annular groove and said tures in presenceof Witnesses. plate having an orifice therein adapted to WILLIAM GATESreceive said post a locking strip pivoted to I said plate to slidablyoscillate thereon, said FRANK BOTTUME' strip having an off-set portionadapted to pass over the protruding post and inwardly directed lipsadapted to pass into said groove and engage said post, and means forl/Vitnesses:

R. F. MURRAY, BENJAMIN A. CULVER, MARCUS S. BOTTUME.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

